They Say It's Your Birthday
by KateToast
Summary: One last (baby) birthday in the Crap Shack.


**XXX**

_February 2010_

The doorbell rang again, but before anyone could go answer it was already opening and closing. "Where is he?" Miss Patty called excitedly, rushing into the living room. She dropped a brightly wrapped gift on a side table where others of varying size and color already sat, and then joined the crowd spread out around the room. It seemed half the town was congregated in the Gilmore/Danes house that brisk late afternoon.

"Over here!" Babette shouted from the far corner over the happily chattering group, and then she went back to lavishing her full attention on the guest of honor, who was holding court from her lap as they sat in an armchair. Patty made her way over, greeting everyone she passed.

Lorelai stood by the staircase watching the scene, grinning as Patty, Babette and Lulu argued over whose turn it was to hold the birthday boy. She was adjusting a drooping blue streamer when a voice mumbled into her ear, "This is ridiculous."

"That may be so," Lorelai conceded as Luke's hand came around her waist, pulling her against his side. She lifted her head to look at him. "But look how happy everyone is."

Luke raised an eyebrow. "Isn't today supposed to be about _him_?"

"It _is_ about him," Lorelai said.

"Oh, please," Luke gruffed, gesturing to the room at large with the hand that was holding a beer. "This is about _them_. _He_ is only a year old and not going to remember any of this. Kids don't even start remembering things until at least two and a half."

"_Some_one's been reading the child development book he got from his daughter for Christmas," Lorelai teased.

"I may have skimmed a few pages," Luke shrugged, smiling at his wife.

Lorelai put her own arm around his back so they were linked, rubbing her hand over the soft material of his charcoal shirt. "You're right," she finally admitted.

"I'm right?" he repeated. "Is hell freezing over?"

"Don't make me take it back," Lorelai playfully admonished. Her eyes again swept over the gathering of so many of their friends, and then she turned her body so she was facing Luke. "We're moving," she said.

"I know," Luke said. "All that mortgage paperwork is a good reminder."

"This is the last get-together we're gonna have in this house," Lorelai explained, and she watched as her husband's teasing face softened. He brushed some curls from her cheek as she continued, "So even though it's a birthday party for a one-year-old who won't even remember it, it's _something_. Will deserves at least one birthday in this place."

"You're right," Luke said. "Just promise me it won't get too out of control."

"Geez, the cops get called at _one_ child's birthday party, and you never hear the end of it," Lorelai said to no one, raising her hands in defeat. Luke rolled his eyes but gave her a peck on the lips anyway, just as the Belleville brood raced past, Jackson chasing after them.

Lorelai frowned. "Need some help, Jackson?" she asked his back.

He turned his head to them, body still moving forward. "No, I got it!" he assured her, and then called ahead to his three kids: "Guys, leaving Mommy alone, she's trying to cook!" They disappeared into the kitchen and the sound of something clattering to the floor followed.

"Let's let that play out in there," Lorelai said to Luke as he tried to catch sight of what was going on in the kitchen. She smiled at his concerned expression and then patted him on the chest before walking back into the crowd. The baby was now in the arms of Lulu, with a very nervous looking Kirk standing beside her, seemingly sizing up Will.

Patty grinned at Lorelai as she joined their group and grabbed one of Will's shoe-clad feet in her hand. "Oh, Lorelai, can you believe this darling is already a _year _old?"

Lorelai shook her head, smiling and shaking Will's foot. "I can't," she said.

"And if he isn't the cutest little thing in the whole state of Connecticut, I don't know what is!" Babette agreed enthusiastically.

Morey nodded behind her. "Way cute, man."

"Thanks, guys," Lorelai said, "But you better be less liberal with the praise or this one will have an ego so big we won't be able to carry him anymore."

"And a February birthday!" Patty said, leaning forward in her chair and waggling her eyebrows. "Weren't you and Luke married in June?"

Lorelai became wary. "Uh, yes."

"A honeymoon baby," Patty told the others, evidently having already done the math. "Must have been a nice trip," she added, winking at Lorelai.

Lorelai felt herself flush, partly from embarrassment, and partly because Patty was exactly right on all counts – it had been a _very_ nice trip. "Well, you know, we'd been trying before the wedding – no one was getting any younger, am I right?" she began to say to the interested listeners, but Luke magically chose that moment to pass by.

"Quit it," he murmured, lightly nudging her with his elbow as he continued on.

Lorelai waved her hands around. "Anyway, that's not important. I'm just glad you all could make it."

"Ah, we wouldn't-a missed it, sugah," Babette assured her. "But me and Morey are gonna miss havin' you kids as neighbors!"

"I'll miss you guys too," Lorelai said, putting on a brave face. "We won't be able to do the can-and-string thing anymore, but we're not moving far – we'll still be in town. You'll still see us."

Babette was frowning. "What can and string thing?"

"Never mind."

Lulu, still holding Will, turned to Kirk. "Isn't he just the cutest, honey?"

Kirk's pallor was a bit green. "Very… cute," he agreed haltingly. He pulled at Lorelai's arm, tugging her away from the group. He leaned towards her and whispered angrily, "You just _had_ to have a baby."

"Kirk – what?" Lorelai asked.

"And now a birthday party to remind us all! Like seeing him around every day isn't enough."

Lorelai frowned, squinting at him. "I'm trying to decide whether I should kick you out or let Luke do the honors…"

"Lulu's got baby fever!" he said, barely whispering now. "And it's all your fault! Ever since this one arrived—" He gestured with his head to the boy in Lulu's hold, "She's been dropping hints like crazy! It's all I can do to dodge them. I don't know if I'm ready to be a father. I've practically had to give up sex!"

Lorelai made a disgusted face at that comment and patted Kirk on the arm. "It sounds like you and Lulu need to sit down and talk. Preferably not here. Or anywhere near here."

Kirk made a sort of scared cat noise and then wandered away to the drink table, from which Andrew quickly fled away. Lorelai crossed her arms over her chest, shaking her head, and then turned and watched as Will gurgled out a statement with some real and some decidedly not-real words mixed in.

"What's up with Kirk?" Rory asked, sidling up beside her mother and munching on a sausage roll.

"He and Lulu are considering parenthood."

Rory stopped chewing. "That's a terrifying thought."

"I know. I'm hoping they wait long enough that their kid will never be in school with Will."

"Let's hope," Rory agreed. "So this is quite the shindig."

"Thank you, Firstborn," Lorelai said, smiling at her daughter.

"I mean, it's not exactly on par with my 13th birthday celebration, but it's pretty good."

"Was that the one where Patty got drunk and tried to make Mrs. Kim salsa dance?"

"No, no, that was 15. 13 was the backyard petting zoo."

"Oh, right!" Lorelai said. "Taylor was _not_ happy about that llama that escaped."

"Well, it _did_ try to eat all of the fruits and vegetables outside his store."

Lorelai waved a hand. "Animal control was all over that." She looked back at her baby boy, who was now on Gypsy's hip as she showed him a toy wrench she'd brought him. "Sometimes I still can't believe he's real, you know?"

Rory smiled at her little brother. "He _does_ look pretty doll-like, but I'm guessing he'll grow out of that."

Lorelai rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean. For so long it was just you and me, and now there's you, and me, and Luke, and April, and Will…"

"And Grandma and Grandpa," Rory reminded, nodding her head towards her grandparents, who were engaged in a conversation with Zach and looking quite lost as to what he was explaining to them, Steve and Kwan dancing around their legs in matching outfits.

"And now we're leaving this house and moving farther from town," Lorelai said. "It won't be as easy to just walk on over to Luke's or Weston's or the town meetings." She looked at Rory. "No more Crap Shack."

"No more Crap Shack," Rory echoed sadly. "But you _have_ to move, Mom. This place isn't big enough for our family now."

"Won't you miss it?"

"Of course I'll miss it," Rory said, looking around. "Remember how upset I was when you first said you guys were looking for a new place?"

"I do. You had hardcore Bambi face." Lorelai was quiet for a moment. "We had some good times here, huh, kid?"

"Really good," Rory agreed, bumping her shoulder against her mother's. "But we'll have good times in the new house, too."

"I guess," Lorelai sighed.

"Just think of that extra-wide staircase waiting for you."

Lorelai nodded slowly, conjuring the image. "That staircase _is_ amazing."

"What's amazing?" Luke asked, appearing from behind them, holding Will up with one arm, the other secured around the boy's torso as he looked out at his party.

Lorelai grinned at their son and then made a face, making him laugh that infectious baby laugh that made the sleepless nights and endless diapers so worth it. "The staircase in the new house."

"It is amazing," Luke agreed. "Great craftsmanship."

"Oh god, please don't start about craftsmanship and carpentry and construction and all those other 'c' words," Lorelai begged. "It'll be the house remodel all over again."

"Fine," Luke said, bouncing Will a few times. The Belleville kids shot by underfoot once again, though this time there was no Jackson on their tail.

Emily and Richard had extricated themselves from a confusing conversation about music with Zach and had put on their coats, stopping to say goodbye to their grandson. "Lorelai, we have to be going," Richard told his daughter as they approached.

"So soon? We haven't even brought out the tequila shots yet," Lorelai joked.

Emily bypassed her comment. "We have that benefit for the hospital to attend, we told you about it at dinner last night."

"Right, right, they want you to give enough money to build another wing," Lorelai recalled. "You could just name it after Rory, to stay consistent."

"Hey!" Rory defended, crossing her arms over her chest, still embarrassed over the building at Yale with her name on it.

"Thanks for coming," Luke said, stepping in before any other barbs could be traded.

"We did want to give our grandson one more gift before we left," Richard said, pulling an envelope from his inside jacket pocket as Emily smiled at Will, tickling under his chin.

"Oh, you already gave him that tricycle," Lorelai said. "He loves it!... Well, he loves looking at it, but I'm sure he'll be a regular Evel Kneivel in no time."

"This is something a bit more lasting," Richard explained, handing the envelope to his daughter and then putting his arm around Emily's shoulders.

Lorelai smiled at her parents, puzzled, as she opened the envelope and pulled out some sort of notarized document. She scanned it as Luke read over her shoulder. "Mom, Dad – what is this?"

"It's a letter written by my attorney, explaining the details of the trust fund your mother and I have set up for William."

"Trust fund?" Luke asked, a note of skepticism in his voice.

"You guys really don't need to—"

Richard cut Lorelai off, placing a hand between them. "We do, Lorelai. We want our grandson to be able to attend any institution he wishes when the time comes, without cost being a factor. Now, I know you and Luke are very independent people, and that you would be able to deal with tuition costs on your own, but your mother and I want to do this for you, and for William. I only add a personal stipulation that he must at least _apply_ to Yale," Richard added, smiling.

"Dad," Lorelai said, glancing at Luke. He gave no indication either way of what he thought she should say.

"Before you say no, Lorelai, please just consider it," Emily asked. "Let us do this for our grandson."

Sharing one more look with her husband, Lorelai finally smiled and nodded, looking down at the envelope. "Thank you, guys."

"That's very generous of you," Luke added.

"Well, we want the best for our grandchildren," Emily said, shooting Rory a smile.

"Goodbye, my boy," Richard boomed, leaning down a bit towards Will and patting the baby on the head.

Emily kissed Will's forehead, then straightened up and nodded at Lorelai, Luke and Rory. "We'll see you next week," she said, and then they departed.

Rory crossed her arms over her chest as she turned to face her mother, a satisfied look on her face. "I'm impressed. You hardly fought them on it."

Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Compromise _has_ been known to happen between us. Besides, I knew they were gonna do this at some point the second after I told them I was pregnant," she said, taking Will out of Luke's arms and making a face at the baby. "They're pretty predictable."

Luke had taken the paper and was reading it more closely. "This is… a lot of money," he said faintly.

"Just remember that by the time this one is considering college, tuition will be approximately a million dollars a semester," Lorelai said.

"Hey!" Babette screeched as she crossed the room to them. "Stop hoggin' the birthday boy!" She reached for the baby and Lorelai passed him over, watching as nearby partygoers flocked to surround him.

"This kid has more groupies than Hep Alien," Lane commented, coming up beside them.

"Your music is _a lot_ better, don't worry," Lorelai reassured.

"I don't know, he was banging out a pretty solid beat on a pan earlier," Rory said. "Maybe there's a future there."

"Great," Lorelai said. "He can skip college and blow his trust fund on booze and girls."

"Absolutely not," Luke growled.

Lorelai nudged him with her elbow. "You don't want Will to become a musician? Maybe he'll be his generation's Lady Gaga," she goaded.

"God," Luke said, shaking his head. Lorelai snaked her arm around his waist and scrunched her nose at him, making his stern expression crack into a smile. "He can be whatever he wants to be," he said to her, quiet so only she could hear.

They both turned to the group of their good friends gathered around their one-year-old son, on whom Rory was attempting to place a party hat. Will fussed and kept knocking Rory's hand away until she gave up. "Probably not Lady Gaga," Lorelai said to Luke conspiratorially. "She loves wearing hats."

He nodded, grinning now. "He's got some time to figure it out."

**XXX**


End file.
